Prognostic value of haematological parameters and [18F]FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters in head and neck cancer.

AIM: To determine the usefulness of neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) and platelet/lymphocyte (P/L) ratios as well as quantitative [18F]FDG PET/CT parameters as prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HyN). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-six patients (56 men) diagnosed with HyN carcinoma were retrospectively assessed over an 8-year interval. Maximum SUV (SUVmax), metabolic tumour volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) parameters were determined from the PET/CT study at diagnosis. After treatment with chemoradiotherapy, patient survival was assessed. The Cox regression model and the Kaplan-Meier method were used to analyse prognostic factors and survival curves. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 50.4 months, with 39 recurrences-progressions and 39 deaths. In the univariate analysis, metabolic parameters, except SUVmax, were predictive factors for all three survivals and the two blood parameters were predictive for OS and EFS. TLG was the only predictive factor in the multivariate analysis. The three survival curves were significantly different for the metabolic parameters and the OS curve for the N/L ratio. Correlations were seen between N/L ratio, MTV and TLG. No correlations were demonstrated between P/L ratio and metabolic parameters. CONCLUSION: The use of haematological and metabolic markers would allow to identify patients with a high risk of recurrences and por survival and to individualise treatment by applying more aggressive therapies.

Mismatch in Brain Perfusion and Metabolism Detected with 99mTc-Hexamethyl Propylene Amine Oxime Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography and 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography in Moyamoya Disease.

We report a 47-year-old woman who developed an ischemic stroke with diplopia and dysarthria. Emergency computed tomography (CT) showed no pathological findings, and magnetic resonance (MR) showed mild ischemic-degenerative lesions. MR angiography and angiogram showed severe stenosis of both internal carotid and main intracranial arteries with plenty collateral vessels with "puff of smoke" suggesting a moyamoya disease (MMD). Brain perfusion single-photon emission CT showed global diminished perfusion in the brain lobes and a marked relative hyperperfusion in the cerebellum. However, brain 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography showed physiological metabolism in the brain cortex with only slightly relative cerebellar hypermetabolism. MMD is a well-known arterial pathology that frequently develops with only mild symptoms until the middle age. Functional neuroimaging findings indicate a mismatch between brain glucose metabolism and brain perfusion, probably due to neuronal subclinical chronic ischemia in the brain cortex with preserved viability of neurons.

Lumbar Gout Tophus Mimicking Epidural Abscess with Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Bone, and Gallium Scans.

Gout is a common metabolic disorder, typically diagnosed in peripheral joints. Tophaceous deposits in lumbar spine are a very rare condition with very few cases reported in literature. The following is a case report of a 52-year-old patient with low back pain, left leg pain, and numbness. Serum uric acid level was in normal range. magnetic resonance imaging, bone scan, and gallium-67 images suggested an inflammatory-infectious process focus at L4. After a decompressive laminectomy at L4-L5 level, histological examination showed a chalky material with extensive deposition of amorphous gouty material surrounded by macrophages and foreign-body giant cells (tophaceous deposits).

"Shin splint" syndrome and tibial stress fracture in the same patient diagnosed by means of (99m)Tc-HMDP SPECT/CT.

We show a patient who presented leg pain triggered by intense exercise. The most likely diagnosis was a possible tibial stress fracture or a "shin splint" syndrome (soleus enthesopathy). We performed a bone scintigraphy including SPECT/CT that revealed the presence of the two concomitant pathologies. SPECT/CT identified the hot spot superimposed with bone lesion in the tibial stress fracture and only remodeling activity without evidence of cortical lesions in the enthesopathy processes.

Bilateral axillary and internal mammary drainage in breast cancer without prior surgery during sentinel node mapping.

Lymphatic drainage outside the ipsilateral axilla in breast cancer is discovered in as many as 25% of all sentinel lymph node procedures and it is evidenced by lymphoscintigraphy. Contralateral axillary drainage is a rare clinical situation, mostly if there is not prior breast surgery, but this situation is extremely exceptional if we also found internal mammary chain drainage. We have not found such a case published in literature. This atypical finding is source of doubts because it could have clinical implications in the management of patients. We present a woman just diagnosed of breast carcinoma with hot nodes in bilateral axillary and ipsilateral internal mammary chain lymph nodes, shown by preoperative lymphoscintigraphy. We review published cases with contralateral axillary drainage, which enhance the role of scintigraphic procedure in such cases and show induced controversies in selecting the most adequate management.